Arsenal looking at British centre back | United had a game plan | Ivan’s 3 year pay out

If you’re one of those people who believe the media has an active predisposition to back Manchester United, then last night must have sent you into conspiracy overdrive. Nani was sent off after flying studs up to pick a ball out of the air at shoulder height, he smashed into Arbeloa and the ref whacked out the red card. To me it was harsh, but it wasn’t spectacularly harsh. You can’t claim you didn’t mean something as a defence for wreckless play. As Roy Keane rightly pointed out on the box… did he really think he’d have a 20 yard free run at the ball in a Champions League match? ITV sent viewers into the ad break like we’d just witnessed the second coming of the hand of god… except Maradona hadn’t just touched the ball… he’d caught it… bounced it three times and rolled it into the net unquestioned.

Onto the game, it was interesting that pre-game, Ferguson had declared he had no game plan for Ronaldo. The big difference here? He’s demonstrated year after year that he’s a smart cookie when it comes to dealing with opposition threats whether that be in Europe or domestically. He doesn’t win every trophy, but he’s won enough to know the chances of him ignoring the second best player on the planet were low. So, as it turns out, he wasn’t bluffing. Ferguson set out his team with discipline in mind. Rooney cast away to the bench after a bad game in the previous Madrid game. United set out Rapheal to track him from wide… when he moved into the middle, the experience of Vidic and Rio took care of him. They also ensured that they always had someoene just in front of the back four to stop him letting off his bulldozer shots. United also made sure they stifled Madrid’s creative output by setting Danny Wellbeck on Alonso.

Nothing genius in that set up… but it allowed a team far weaker than Madrid to keep them in check… until Nani picked up a red… then Alonso could do his thing… then it was game over. Not that they rolled over. United were excellent in the last ten minutes and had to curse their luck that the Madrid back up keeper was in the form of his life.

So what have we learned here? Well, in football, things don’t always go your way. A game plan doesn’t ensure victory. The main point is this… you can out think outrageous talent. So many people leveled the Bayern loss them simply having better players. Sure, that’s always an issue, but how often does the best pound for pound team win the Champions League? You can always topple better teams with better ideas. If you don’t have the best team in the competition, you can’t not have a strategy these days.

I think that’s the other thing people are getting confused by… tactics and a game plan. Arsenal have tactics. We have a some sort of iteration on an offside trap. We’ll play a highline. Our goalkeeper will distribute the ball faster than most. What we don’t have is a game plan geared around what is put in front of us. Essentially, Wenger believes that if you’re on you game, you don’t need to worry about opposition. Which in the old days, when you had a team that were head and shoulders above the rest, worked fine… the game has moved on now. There are lots of good teams with technically sound players, who are equally as fit… but have the added bonus of being drilled.

Anyway, the outcome is that as it stands, we’re the last team in the Champions League. Can we expect a miracle? Maybe. Highly doubtful though. I’m not even sure beating Bayern would be good for us. We need 100% focus on the job in hand. Away days in Italy might not be the best for keeping the focus going.

News on the transfer front has us in for Swansea captain Ashley Williams this summer for around £8m. The Guardian reports Wenger has lost faith in Mertesacker and Vermalen. Isn’t it amazing how these stories drip out of the club after a few bad performances? The story is in keeping with us keeping a British core… however, I can’t help but think it doesn’t matter who we bring into that back four, if it’s not trained properly or given guidance and support from those in front… then it really doesn’t matter who comes in. Vermalen needs to be coached. Mertesacker needs to play as part of a unit. We don’t have either at the moment which is why we’re a shambles.

Nik Bendtner continued to enamour himself with Europe’s elite clubs by landing himself with a monster drink driving ban and fine. The Danes whacked him with a three year ban and fined him £100k. What an absolute idiot. His ego was blown up from a young age and he’s never been able to match what he does on the pitch with what he says with his mouth. A mega disappointment whose career is free falling in a big way.

The other news story of note this morning is from the Daily Mail. If Ivan gets the boot courtesy of a takeover, he lands himself 3 years pay… about £5m. Nice eh? My pal just got the boot from a management role at a London bar he’s worked in for 7 years and only managed 3 months pay. The difference from the haves and the have nots eh? I think this article was supposed to fire the hopes that the bid is going to happen. I have my doubts. It’d be nice if cash rich Alisher Usmanov would make a serious move for the club. I heard some very interesting things about the types of footballing people he’s been meeting outside Thierry the other day. Needless to say, he’s desperate to turn the club around and would do anything for the chance. Which is why I don’t think there’s a chance any takeover bid would be successful. Can you imagine trying to buy out the 28th richest man in the world who has had his heart set on Arsenal for years?

I can’t…

Does Stan really want to hold onto an asset he has no passion for? Does he really want to have to invest his own money into making us great again? Doubtful. Which is why Usmanov might get his chance one day.

214 Responses to “Arsenal looking at British centre back | United had a game plan | Ivan’s 3 year pay out”

Be interesting to see what they come up with seeing as Wenger got a 3 match ban for saying he didn’t think RvP should have been sent off, then got another 3 match ban for sitting where he was told he could sit, then after the game they decided he shouldn’t have been sat there…

Keys, you gotta look past the facade, he is just playing with you, what you can’t see is him sat in his living room on a match day, in his full replica Arsenal Kit, wearing his signed Arsene Wenger sleeping bag coat, desperately hunting for a stream…

That’s a lot of bank and that’s how I know not qualifying for UCL next year will hurt the SOBs in charge of our club.It’s a blow. Whether it’s a big enough blow to phase Wenger and his massive ego well that’s another story.Qualifying for 4th certainly won’t though.

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Sir Alex Ferguson after the Manchester United manager refused to attend a post-match press conference following his side’s Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

TitsMcgee March 6, 2013 18:59:59
‘That’s a lot of bank and that’s how I know not qualifying for UCL next year will hurt the SOBs in charge of our club.It’s a blow. Whether it’s a big enough blow to phase Wenger and his massive ego well that’s another story.Qualifying for 4th certainly won’t though.’
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With £123m in the bank the loss will not be a blow, just a hassle as far as the twats are concerned. If you assume Arsenal lose out on £40m per year they fail to qualify, then they still have a 3 year cushion – add to that flogging off players and not replacing them and the time could be drawn out even further.

Before anyone suggests it will have an effect on anyones bonuses, bear in mind that the stipulations to obtaining the extra earning can simply be changed by SS / the BOD to suit themselves.

It’s not as big a blow to us compared to maybe Spurs or Everton but 30 million is still 30 million and with a wage bill on par with the big fish you can consider it Wenger costing us 30 million next year.

Now the croissant eater seems to be damn near untouchable for some reason but not qualifying for the UCL next year will cost us about 30 mill and that means Wenger would has cost us 30 mill and he’ll probably have to explain that to somebody I’d imagine especially with all the money we spend on players.

We’re fffff’ed as long as he is here but coming in 4th will DEFINITELY NOT change the way he operates. Coming in 5th MIGHT.

Holy shit is that true? 10% on every player sold goes to Wenger? If so it would explain why Arsene is more interested in making money rather than winning. Also would explain why he’s so interested in getting rid of our stars, but not the dross. Arsene doesn’t give two fucks about the future of this club. He’s too busy assembling his nest egg.

Guys settle down FFS. This bonus larky is complete and utter tosh, I mean who in their right mind would give a manager a player sale related bonus. I know that the bankers got bonuses on giving away depositors money but Arsenal Football club? Not a chance , Our club has been build on honesty and integrity and is renowned over the world for its transparency.

Why r u completely ruling out this possibility? All the players that Wenger has sold (RVP,Cesc …) were bought for peanuts and sold for much much more. that way,he is accumulating wealth for the owner. So what does Stan lose in such a deal? It is a win win situation for everybody except the fans. I said that only bcoz Palmer said this and I have never heard him saying any bulls*it .
In fact,he is more of an AKB than an Arsene hater. Coming from him makes it much more credible. I would nt have believed If it came from Robson for obvious reasons.

Johnny’s right vicky. When it comes to this regime I rule nothing out. Having said that, a deal whereby Wenger gains on the sale of players would have been outed well before now. I think over the next few months we’ll hear rumours and counter rumours about the people in charge probably put out there by those aspiring to buy out Stanley.

The story does make sense in a way explain him working under such shit conditions and not saying a bad word. It’s coz he’s blatantly been told to sell players to balance books and he’s worked out he will be crucified by some fans and media people so said what’s in it for me.

Keyser is a failed comedy writer plying his pathetic trade on message boards.
how about that? is that better?

as for me what about me?

as for the 10% on player sales

not surprising. why do you think wenger is constantly buying mediocre players from the french ligue, you think he’s not seeing a little something for his effort.
think ‘arry, the king of the kickbacks.
also, all the arab syndicates paying crazy fees, i’d imagine they’re seeing a little something coming their way when lucas moura is being sold for how much? ibra and silva?

Wow what a long debate on that decision. it seems like there will be some final outcome out of all this. The third umpire like in cricket????

All all this because it is MU , who is crying foul. Worst decision has been made before, even one’s where the team had to bow down out of the world cup and we saw less protest. Has MU grown so big that without them football means nothing?

When Chelsea lost that match with MU they were on an unbeaten run. I did not see any media member going all gongo…

Its time that all the teams playing whether small or big holding clout or not are treated equally.